1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of automated powered deployable and retractable steps for facilitating entry and exit from the passenger compartment of motor vehicles and particularly for use with emergency vehicles such as fire trucks. This apparatus can be coordinated to open simultaneously with opening of one of the vehicle doors and to retract simultaneously with closing of the adjacent door. Such vehicles can have extremely limited space within which such automated step apparatus can be mounted due to the nature of such fire truck cab design. Many fire trucks have tilting cabs that tilt forwardly for the purpose of providing access to the vehicle engine for maintenance. This construction greatly limits the amount of space available for mounting and positioned of the step apparatus since it must not interfere with the cab tilting construction motion. The available area can be as small as 21″ horizontally and/or 9″ vertically. The present invention provides a construction which is small enough to fit within this restricted environment and yet still is constructed having a very strong and rigidly secured deployable step when in the deployed position. Such steps are subjected to significant impact and other forces when used for the purposes of facilitating entry into the passenger compartment of a truck by firemen whose bodies can be heavily encumbered with a significant amount of emergency equipment. As such, the strength of and rigidity of the deployable step apparatus needs to be very secure and it is somewhat problematical to devise such a rigid step when restricted by the limited dimension within which the overall apparatus must be capable of being positioned. As such, the present invention utilizes a uniquely configured over-center locking mechanism to achieve a firmly secure, rigid, automatically deployable auxiliary step for an emergency vehicle which is capable of being retracted and deployed within very limited vertical and horizontal dimensions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many patents have been granted on various types of automated retractable steps many of which are usable with vehicles such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 438,021 patented Oct. 7, 1890 to E. P. Robbins on a “Movable Vehicle-Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,118,557 patented May 24, 1938 to G. W. Hamilton and assigned one-fourth to Vinton H. Rowlett on a “Retractable Step For Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,668 patented Feb. 7, 1939 to B. C. Baade and assigned to Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation on a “Retractable Car Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,226,717 patented Dec. 31, 1940 to W. M. Haessler and assigned to American Car and Foundry Company on a “Combined Folding Step. Platform, And Skirt Arrangement”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,492,068 patented Dec. 20, 1949 to E. L. Schofield et al and assigned to Superior Coach Corporation on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,993 patented Jan. 18, 1966 to M. M. Riddle on a “Door Operated Vehicle Boarding Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,443 patented Jul. 4, 1967 to E. Lowder et al on a “Swing-Out Step For Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,959 patented to A. R. Cripe et al on Nov. 5, 1968 and assigned to United Aircraft Corporation on a “Folding Staircase”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,754 patented Mar. 30, 1971 to S. Fowler and assigned to General Motors Corporation on a “Vehicle Step Arrangement”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,557 patented Feb. 29, 1972 to A. Aldropp et al on a “Foldable Retractable Step Assembly For Campers And Like Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,068 patented Aug. 7, 1973 to H. C. R. Green on a “Door-Operated Vehicle Boarding Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,815 patented Nov. 13, 1973 to R. F. Bridges on an “Extensible Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,758 patented Apr. 30, 1974 to G. E. Rogge on a “Retractable Step For A Motor Home”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,240 patented Sep. 3, 1974 to R. C. Weiler on a “Retractable Step For Use With Trailers, Motor Homes, Or Other Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,713 patented Jan. 21, 1975 to D. P. McKee on a “Retractile Door Step For Motor Homes”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,217 patented Jun. 3, 1975 to W. W. Thomas on a “Retractable Step For Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,093 patented Apr. 12, 1977 to A. Stecker, Sr. on a “Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,920 patented May 3, 1977 to J. D. Abbott on a “Retractable Transit Coach Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,502 patented Feb. 14, 1978 to R. C. Frank et al on a “Retractable Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,790 patented Aug. 15, 1978 to R. C. Weiler and assigned to Blackstone Manufacturing Co., Inc. on a “Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,673 patented Aug. 29, 1978 to E. J. Nagy et al and assigned to Kwikee Enterprises, Inc. on an “Extendable Vehicle Step And Step Motor Control System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,143 patented Dec. 25, 1979 to G. D. Clugston on a “Step For Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,849 patented Jan. 29, 1980 to W. J. Jaeger on a “Retractable Step For Motor Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,303 patented Apr. 29, 1980 to P. N. Kelly on a “Door-Operated Boarding Step For Trucks”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,648 patented Jun. 23, 1981 to R. R. Robins on a “Vehicle Bumper Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,515 patented Jan. 26, 1982 to R. J. Allori and assigned to International Harvester Company on a “Self-Locking Step Assembly For A Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,686 patented Nov. 1, 1983 to E. T. Fagrell and assigned to AB Volvo on a “Folding Step For Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,364 patented Apr. 3, 1984 to S. S. Cone et al on a “Retractable Aircraft Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,160 patented Nov. 18, 1986 to J. W. Trudell on an “Extensible Step Assembly For Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,810 patented Jul. 14, 1987 to J. F. Kimball on a “Powered Step Assembly For Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,355 patented Nov. 24, 1987 to J. Tiede on a “Hideaway Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,797 patented Jun. 5, 1990 to L. R. Parrill on a “Safety Step System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,974 patented Jan. 8, 1991 to W. L. Guidry and assigned to Interco Tire Corporation on an “Adjustable High Vehicle Boarding Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,450 patented Feb. 4, 1992 to L. DeHart, Sr. and assigned to The Dometic Corporation on a “Step Stall Prevention For Vehicle Steps”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,707 patented Jul. 20, 1993 to C. T. Yoder and assigned to Carriage, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,073 patented Aug. 30, 1994 to R. L. Poole on a “Retractable Step For Motor Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,012 patented Mar. 12, 1996 to P. K. McDaniel et al and assigned to McDaniel Manufacturing Inc. on a “Convertible Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,269 patented Jul. 23, 1996 to P. K. McDaniel et al and assigned to McDaniel Manufacturing, Inc. on a “Convertible Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,040 patented Aug. 20, 1996 to P. E. Hanser et al and assigned to HWH Corporation on an “Automatic Step For Recreational Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,709 patented Dec. 1, 1998 to M. M. Maccabee and assigned to Kwikee Products Co., Inc. on a “Retractable, Swing Down Step Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,237 patented Sep. 28, 1999 to R. H. Tigner and assigned to Specific Cruise Systems, Inc. on a “Motorized Collapsible Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,472 patented Oct. 24, 2000 to K. Wilson et al and assigned to SportRack LLC on a “Motor Powered Running Board”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,486 patented Apr. 10, 2001 to J. R. Kunz et al and assigned to Kwikee Products Co., Inc. on a “Step Assembly With Concealed Lower Tread”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,158 patented Nov. 4, 2003 to H. Leitner and assigned to American Moto Products, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,706 patented Dec. 2, 2003 to J. Murrell and assigned to Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company on an “Extensible-Retractable RV Step And Method Of Assembling Same”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,204 patented Feb. 3, 2004 to K. I. Hehr on a “Hitch-Mounted Extensible Step For Pickup Trucks And Other Vehicles Having Tailgates”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,257 patented Dec. 14, 2004 to H. Leitner and assigned to American Moto Products, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,875 patented Dec. 28, 2004 to H. Leitner et al and assigned to American Moto Products, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,909 patented Sep. 6, 2005 to H. Leitner and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,233 patented Sep. 13, 2005 to H. Leitner et al and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,961 patented Mar. 7, 2006 to H. Leitner et al and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,839 patented Jun. 6, 2006 to H. Leitner and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,221 patented Jan. 16, 2007 to H. Leitner and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step With Anti-Strike/Anti-Pinch Sensor System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,722 patented Jan. 30, 2007 to L. D. Piotrowski et al on a “Pull-Out Step Assembly For A Pickup Truck”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,219,911 patented May 22, 2007 to D. Sukonthapanich et al and assigned to Ventra Group Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,574 patented May 6, 2008 to H. Leitner on “Drive Systems For Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,807 patented Jun. 3, 2008 to H. Leitner and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,985 patented Jul. 15, 2008 to H. Leitner et al and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,204 patented Aug. 19, 2008 to H. Leitner and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,916 patented Dec. 30, 2008 to B. E. Watson and assigned to Magma International Inc. on an “Automated Deployable Running Board”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,572 patented Mar. 17, 2009 to B. K. Park et al on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,566,064 patented Jul. 28, 2009 to H. Leitner et al and assigned to 88908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,584,975 patented Sep. 8, 2009 to H. Leitner and assigned to 89908, Inc. on a “Retractable Vehicle Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,677,584 patented Mar. 16, 2010 to R. W. Raley et al and assigned to Actuant Corporation on a “Motorized Collapsible Step”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,896 patented Nov. 2, 2010 to M. VanBelle et al and assigned to Ford Global Technologies and Multimatic, Inc. on an “Articulated Step System For Automotive Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,841,609 patented Nov. 30, 2010 to H. Okada et al and assigned to Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha on a “Step Device For Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,934,737 patented May 3, 2011 to H. Okada et al and assigned to Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha on a “Step Device For Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,967,311 patented Jun. 28, 2011 to D. E. Phillips on a “Multi Position Step”.